if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.”
—Psalm 139:8
John grew up poverty stricken in Louisiana’s bayou country. Because of familial connections, arrangements were made for he and his sister Peggy to attend the local Catholic school. At 14, he started asking questions that annoyed the monsignor in charge. Since the priest didn’t have answers to the honest, spiritual questions, he raged. Nevertheless, John asked the nuns for a Bible. They turned a deaf ear to his repeated requests.
Being musically gifted, John easily learned to play the saxophone. By 15, he was making music in dance halls and bars. Enticed by the world, he left his spiritual desires in the dust.
God wasn’t done seeking for his heart, however. A a high school graduate, he found work in the oil fields in the Gulf of Mexico. On the very first rig, an explosion and fire threatened the lives of the crew. God spared his life in the midst of this peril. His attention was on high alert, so Bible study ensued.
Years passed, and he left for the oil fields in Iran. There he lived the high life. There he found a young wife. They left for the United States shortly after the last Shah was deposed. The western lifestyle intrigued the young mother. More interested in the night life, the marriage began to deteriorate. John took a job close to home, but illness racked his frame. He conversed with another John, and asked his favorite question, expecting the same unsatisfactory answer.
“Tell me about the Sabbath.”
This time, a very different response brought about more questions from the invalid. His respiratory ailments precluded John from ever smoking and playing the saxophone. Thus, he dug deeper into God’s Word.
Meanwhile, his party-loving wife finally admitted to him that she was having an affair outside of their marriage. A mad fury twisted him in knots. Rational thought vanished when he witnessed them together. A heated struggle ended when John plunged a knife into his opponent, leaving him lifeless.
Splattered with his rival’s blood, he fled the scene. Quickly, he was arrested. Tried. Convicted.
What could God do with an incarcerated, blackened soul? You’ll be able to trace John’s steps in accepting God’s call, “Follow Me.” His prayer is that you will accept the same call.
Table of Contents
1. A Rough Beginning
2. An Immovable Roadblock
3. The Sound of Music
4. No Way Out!
5. The Truth of God’s Word
6. A New World
7. A Little Discrepancy
8. Big Changes
9. Destined for Disaster
10. God Tries Again
11. In Retrospect
12. If I Make My Bed in Hell (Psalm 139:8)
13. A Little Progress
14. Sometimes Things Just Change
15. Of These Ye May Not Eat
16. Honoring God above All
17. Who Is My Brother?
18. The Literature Evangelist
19. A Bigger Project
20. Desires Fulfilled
21. A Unique Wedding
22. Fast Forward in Slow Motion
23. You Go!
24. Filling a Need
25. Winding It Down
26. The Conclusion of the Matter
ISBN: 978-1-629131-52-8
Pages: 80, paperback
Dimensions: 5.5 x 8.5 inches